TN Visa Questions

Hello folks,

I will be moving to Seattle soon to take a position there (from Toronto, ON). I want to get out to Seattle about a week before I start so I can get settled. My work has advised me that I should tell the CBP officer that I am going to Seattle as a visitor, and then 2 days before my start date I should drive up to Vancouver and apply for my TN VISA.

This seems a bit ridiculous to me, but it does have me worried. My flight is from Pearson to Seattle a week before my start date. So here are my questions:

1. Should I follow their advice or should I just apply for my TN the day I fly out?

2. If I were to follow their advice, wouldn't my Washington state license plate kind of be a bad thing?

3. If I were to ignore their advice and my TN VISA application were rejected, could I try flying out of Buffalo the next day? Flights tend to be cheaper from Buffalo, and since I'd lose my flight ticket if I got rejected, this might be a nicer option. Obviously I'd have to apply for the TN VISA at one of the bridge crossings.

4. My friend is also working in the states on a TN VISA, but for a different company. His immigration team suggested he go to the Peace Bridge a bit before his flight and get his TN VISA pre-approved because Pearson can be "Inconsistent." What is the pre-approval process? Has anyone heard any bad things about Pearson as a TN application place?

Any other comments or suggestions would also be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I'm not sure if its a strict rule or not, but I think technically you can apply any amount of time before hand.

I flew from pearson to seattle 10 days before my work start date. I didn't have any problems.

One piece of advice: get there with PLENTY of time before your flight lands. I was waiting roughly 2 1/2 hours in customs alone. I just made my flight.

Good luck!

Remember the earlier you get your visa, the earlier it will expire. If you have a contract with your employer for a particular start and finish date, and your visa expires before the finish date, you may run in to problems with your employer. Which is maybe why they suggested you get your visa 2 days before your start date.